Story Still Ends
by toughchick44
Summary: She didn't want to look but she didn't want to leave. Her mind was so jumbled with what was happening and she was so focused on trying to find a way to fix it that she never noticed that with who she was dealing with and her track record, this whole thing was only going to end in one way. He was going to die.


**Hey, hope this is enjoyable. It's kind of a stray piece of work that is like an AU of a story I've been trying to write forever but wasn't sure if anyone would be interested in it. Thought I'd post this and see what I get. Be aware that some of this is kind of vague because if I do actually finish and publish the real version of this story I don't want too much to be revealed.**

 **Disclaimer: Yada, yada, yada. You know the drill.**

 **P.S. There is a quick mention of sexual abuse and mental manipulation so if that triggers or upsets anyone you don't have to read this. It doesn't go into detail or anything, it's like 1-3 lines out of this whole thing.**

* * *

Spinelli ran and ran and ran. She couldn't allow herself to think or feel, her pure focus was on getting where she needed to be in the fastest way possible and that wasn't going to be possible if she gave time to worry and to overthink the situation. So she ran and didn't let anything distract her.

Her breathing was coming and going in quick little puffs that brought in all the sweetness of the flowers around her and her straining muscles were absorbing the bright sun as it shone down on her. The area was so beautiful and filled with everything equated to happiness and love, to safety and the mistaken knowledge that no one would dare to hurt another human being while surrounded by everything that represented the greatness of the race's existence and what they could do with the world that it was disheartening that she could only see it in blurs as she moved.

She turned a corner and came to a scene she'd hoped would never take place but knew could be an inevitability. She would never have imagined the place that her enemy had chosen because there should have been no way that he could know about it. That part of her life was over and done with, it held no sway over her—or so she thought.

"It's so nice for you to join us Ashley." Glasses shouted to her from across the concrete slab and all the uniformed police that were pointing their guns at their current target and inadvertently the hostages because she knew for a fact that none of them were that great of a shot. "I was just starting to get tired of waiting and was going to finish this, but here you are and I don't have to do this without the satisfaction of you watching."

The police tried to keep her from taking steps toward Glasses and the man she loved who were barricaded behind a row of children but she shoved them off and ignored their shouts for her to keep back behind them.

"Let him go. Please." Glasses just gave a quick chuckle.

"Your pleading is useless Ashley, no matter how this continues, Mr. Detweiler will be dead on the ground of this place that holds so much meaning for you both." The gun was still kept against TJ's head as Glasses took a cursory look at the jungle gym and the swing sets and the basket filled with various sports balls. "I don't understand why you and your little group loved this place so much, it really isn't much."

"It's more valuable than you will ever be." TJ forced out through the pressure being put on his throat from the arm wrapped around it; Glasses applied a bit more until TJ's eyes were in the process of rolling into the back of his head.

"Stop! Just stop! I'll do whatever you want! Just please, stop." A few wayward tears escaped her eyes and traveled down her face as she moved a few feet forward until Glasses cocked the gun and sent her a warning look.

"You _will_ do whatever I want. That is without a doubt."

"Sp-Spin, don't—"

"Mr. Detweiler if you want to live long enough to say goodbye to Ashley I would suggest staying silent for the moment."

Her heart pounded as she tried to keep herself from looking at her best friend and focus on saving his life.

"What do you want from me? Haven't you taken enough? You took what was left of me seven years ago when I was 21, what else could you possible get from me now?"

"Your heart." He replied with the smugness of a man who knew that nothing could hurt him.

"What?"

"When you first came into my life I knew that you would be a challenge, but that I could have whatever I wanted from you because while you are strong you aren't quite strong enough to resist the temptation of being under someone's thumb so you don't have to take responsibility for anything. I took your body once we first met," TJ squirmed at the disgusting implication, he was aware of everything that Glasses had done to Spinelli and still couldn't stomach seeing the little light in her eyes that had been growing ever since she came back to them slowly dim. "I watched as your mind fell apart when you lost the baby and killed all those helpless scientists and then was pieced back together when I got a hold of you again. Your soul became my property once you murdered an innocent child without a hint of hesitation when I told you to."

The police listened to every word and became very confused. They were called out because a madman had decided that the 3rd street elementary playground was the perfect place to keep a victim held hostage behind a wall of small children. Now they were wondering if they were caught in the middle of something much bigger.

"I worked for _years_ to get you to give me that final piece, but you never did because some part of you couldn't let go of this street rat." With a rare act of surprising anger, Glasses hit TJ with the butt of the gun. "So I devised a plan for the two of you to intersect paths just enough that eventually it would come down to a standoff and you would kill him, but you never did and that… _frustrated_ me. All you had to do was follow my instructions to the letter whenever I told you what to do and we wouldn't be in this mess." His laughed bitterly. "You never were good at following directions, I'll fix that once were out of here."

" _You. Do. Not. Own. Me._ " She growled. It had no effect on him.

"Of course I do, because that is all this world is about: possessions and who has the most important and dangerous of them. I am a collector and you are my personal item to keep beside me at all times and I can't let some thief," he shook the injured man in his arms, "take what is rightfully mine."

"I don't care what you think about this world or what kind of position you have in it, but whether TJ lives or dies or you steal my unconscious body—because that's the only way you'd be able to get me out of here—and take me far away, you will _never_ have my heart or love or any other feeling besides my hate and disgust. You mean _nothing_ to me and that will _never_ change."

He licked his lips and shrugged. "So be it." He pressed the barrel of the gun deeper into TJ's temple and pulled back on the trigger.

TJ was only saved because he made himself fall hastily forward and out of the pathway of the weapon. The children ran away from the noise and danger and into the arms of the lawmen as Spinelli pulled out her gun and shot at Glasses, he ducked and ran behind the jungle gym while TJ pushed himself to his feet as best as he could with his hands bound behind his back.

"Spinelli!"

"TJ!"

They ran towards each other. Spinelli saw Glasses move out from behind the jungle gym with his gun aimed; she moved hers into position as well and took a shot. He fell back into the sand with a whole in his chest. She did this all while still running to TJ who collapsed in her arms the minute they reached each other.

She was smiling with tears running down her cheeks and so much relief coursing through her veins that at first she didn't notice the blood until she had already cut the wires binding TJ and he still hadn't pulled himself off her body or said anything.

"TJ?" She pulled back while still keeping a good grip on him and her eyes were drawn to the stain of blood traveling across his chest. His weight combined with hers made them stumble, she was able to coordinate their fall well enough so that she would take the most of it and that his upper body would be in her lap while she sat on her right knee and her left leg was outstretched to keep them from completely falling to the ground.

"You—you know," he coughed, "this is where we first kiss—sed."

"Hey, no, no, don't talk like that." She brushed back the bangs from his forehead and tried to apply enough pressure to his wound, he would start healing soon. "Your healing is going to kick in and we'll be walking out of here like a couple of badasses."

He wanted to laugh but too much blood was building in his lungs.

"I can't he—heal anymo—re."

"What? What are you talking about? 'Course you can."

"No, I can't." His eyes were telling her what he wouldn't be able to explain while he was choking on his own blood.

"You took Gretchen's cure."

"Wan—wanted to make sure i—it worked before you to—ok it. I guess, it wasn't the smartest thing to do." He cut himself off with a blood filled cough.

"Doesn't matter, you're going to be fine. I can hear the ambulance they're almost here and they'll save you." He shook his head softly and with the remaining strength he had left pulled her face down to his bloody lips.

The kiss was a messy and final goodbye that Spinelli sobbed through as she felt his life drain out of him and onto her hands and body. His last breath was spent getting to feel her lips against his one last time.

"I love you." She whispered. She had never said it before and he never got to hear it.

" _ **You love him. The story still ends." – there is no absolution for the fallen, only the dying | p.d.**_

* * *

 **Hope everybody liked this. Leave a review and let me know.**

 **Sincerely, Author.**


End file.
